data.3news-bydate.test.rec.sport.baseball.102713 Maven / Gradle / Ivy
From: [email protected] (David Robert Walker)
Subject: Re: Young Catchers
Organization: University of Virginia
Lines: 70
Most of this discussion has been between Mark Singer and David Tate,
with Valentine weighing in on the same side as Dave at various times.
My opinion, FWIW, to all:
Mark, age doesn't matter; ability does. I would rather have the untried
rookie with great minor league numbers than the veteran who has proven
himself to be average at best. I don't care if he is 15; if he plays
better than what I have, I want him out there. Sandy Alomar had decent
minor league numbers, grossly inflated by the PCL in general and Las
Vegas in particular; he should have been projected as an average major
league hitter (which is good for a catcher, I'll admit). Santiago's
numbers would probably come out the same as Sandy's, but I don't have
the league data from the mid-80s to check it out.
That being said, I agree with sending Lopez to Richmond, at least to
start the season. As the box below shows, he has *one* minor league
season in which he hit well. He has two in which he hit very, very
poorly. I want to see that the 92 Lopez is real. Olson and Berryhill
are not complete mediocrities; for catchers, especially NL catchers,
they are essentially average hitters, with equivalent averages around
.220. If he had hit well at prior levels, I would say he belongs on
the Braves; but there is a reasonable chance that Lopez last year was
just as much a fluke as Alomar in 90 or Santiago in 87. One year at
any level, at any age, doesn't satisfy MY standards of evidence.
JAVIER LOPEZ 1971
1990 BUR 428 101 10 1 9 5 0 1 .179 33 .236 .245 .327
1991 DUR 389 84 8 1 9 14 7 2 .175 29 .216 .243 .311
1992 GRN 445 135 22 2 14 22 7 2 .271 71 .303 .336 .456
1992 ATL 16 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 .306 3 .375 .375 .500
MAJ 16 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 .306 3 .375 .375 .500
MIN 1262 320 40 4 32 41 14 5 .213 133 .254 .277 .368
TOT 1278 326 42 4 32 41 14 5 .214 136 .255 .278 .369
MAJ 650 244 81 0 0 0 0 0
MIN 630 160 20 2 16 20 7 2
TOT 630 161 21 2 16 20 7 2
On a similar note, I don't understand why more people are not
supportive of Neon Deion. Granted, I thought his behavior with
McCarver last year was completely bush. Last year was the first time
he ever got 300 AB in one place, so his lines are hard to read. But he
has a combined 720 OPS in minor league play; with his speed is more
valuable than the OPS alone indicates; and at a still young age (24),
had a monster year with an 868 OPS. He has a total, major and minor,
EQA of .249; above major league average, and above average for CF
(which was about .240 in the NL last year). He has shown at least the
potential of going into the .290s, which would make him one of the 15
best hitters in the league. He has two full seasons before reaching
his "prime" season of 27. He should be considered as a legitimate
prospect, and not as a simple side-show attraction.
DEION SANDERS 1968
1988 FLA 21 8 2 0 0 1 1 0 .325 4 .381 .409 .476
1988 INT 20 3 1 0 0 1 1 1 .086 0 .150 .190 .200
1989 EAS 123 35 1 2 2 9 15 4 .257 19 .285 .333 .374
1989 NYY 47 11 1 0 2 3 1 0 .222 6 .234 .280 .383
1989 INT 263 70 11 4 6 18 15 6 .246 37 .266 .313 .407
1990 NYY 133 21 2 2 3 13 8 2 .161 9 .158 .233 .271
1990 INT 85 26 7 1 1 14 8 1 .312 18 .306 .404 .447
1991 ATL 110 20 2 1 4 12 10 3 .201 12 .182 .262 .327
1991 RIC 129 30 5 2 4 7 11 3 .230 17 .233 .272 .395
1992 ATL 306 92 10 12 11 22 24 9 .295 60 .301 .348 .520
MAJ 596 144 15 15 20 50 43 14 .245 87 .242 .300 .418
MIN 641 172 27 9 13 50 51 15 .252 96 .268 .321 .399
TOT 1237 316 42 24 33 100 94 29 .249 182 .255 .311 .408
MAJ 600 145 15 15 20 50 43 14
MIN 603 162 25 8 12 47 48 14
TOT 601 154 20 12 16 49 46 14
Clay D.